The District Chief Executive, Mr Abraham Odum disclosed this at the Central Regional Celebration of the World Tourism Day celebration at Tofoe near Twifo Praso on Saturday.

The national celebration would take place in the Brong Ahafo Region on September 27 under the theme: "tourism, a tool for poverty alleviation".

Mr Odum said that an NGO based in the area has expressed interest to assist in the development of the sites (attractions) and appealed to other interested NGOs TO get involved in the programme.

The Executive Director of the Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM), Mr David Foster Forson encouraged the youth, community organisations, religious institutions, school and organised groups to organise visits and tours of the numerous places of attraction in the region and other parts of the country.

Mr. Forson noted that the tourism industry should not be used as "a sex trade nor be used to exploit the vulnerable" in the society and therefore, called on hoteliers to adopt a policy of discouraging prostitution on their premises.

He said that as part of the strategy to address this problem, "we should be aimed at promoting good parenthood. It is when a child feels uncomfortable in the family that he or she can easily be lured away from the home".

Mr Forson said that, while the people are creating the necessary condition to facilitate the required expansion of the tourism industry, they should try to control any possible negative effects that the industry would bring to them.

The Central Regional acting manger of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) Mr Paul Owusu Nkansah called on the people to help develop tourist sites in the country for their benefit.

The chief of Tofoe, Nana Tritri Apau, who had earlier given a brief history of the town's position in the Denkyira-Ashanti War appealed to his people to send their children to school because education is key to development.

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